If we upload our minds to computers, what will it mean for gender and sexual orientation? Topics in this video: transhumanism, mind uploading, reproduction, cloning, sexual orientation, gender identity, paraphilia, sexual plasticity, post-gender, nanobots, six-armed robots, and having an extra penis.
(This was a one hour unscripted conversation that was edited down to bring you the most interesting parts.)
At one point during the interview, we went on a whole tangent about whether or not emotions, drives and lust could exist in robotic bodies at all. That was cut from this video but you can find the excerpt here if you are interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK9Lf196GO8
This was a fantastic conversation about what the implications might be for sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in a future where we have merged with machines, and our minds are able to exist in technological "avatars" or robotic bodies. Are fixed and static gender identities an immutable characteristic of human psychology? What about prejudice and discrimination? Will technology put us into a post-gender world where identity categories will simply melt away? Will it be possible, in a high-tech future, or flip a switch and choose to be gay or straight, just at a whim? And if it becomes possible... will people even want to do that?
B.J. Murphy key quote: "I picture a future where gender identity turn into something more along the lines of fashion clothing."
What do you think?
Let us know your thoughts!
If you have any questions or comments, or any suggestions for topics we can talk about in the future, let us know in the comments!
The psychologist I refer to who studies sexual orientation and paraphilia is Jesse Bering, and you can get his book "Perv: The sexual deviant in all of us" here:
Check out Greg's personal blog, Twitter, and Facebook:
http://gregstevens.com/
https://twitter.com/gregstevens
https://facebook.com/gregtstevens
And check out the website B.J. writes for, and connect with him on social media:
http://seriouswonder.com/
https://facebook.com/bjomurchadha
https://twitter.com/SciTechJunkie
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/b-j-murphy/81/25/561
